Mexican Pork Carnitas are an absolutely delicious filling for any taco, burrito or bowl. This slow cooker pork Carnitas is a healthy Carnitas recipe that’s Weight Watchers and family friendly.
I love a set it and forget it meal and this one is no exception. With just 10 minutes of prep time this is a perfect recipe for busy weeknights. Pop it in the Crockpot before work and come home to a delightful smelling house with dinner all ready to go.

Table of Contents
Where’s the recipe?
Here at My Crazy Good Life we write our recipes simply enough so that anyone can follow. If you’d like to skip past the ingredient details, recipe tips and nutrition & diet information, simply scroll down to the bottom where you’ll find the easy to print Weight Watchers Crock Pot Carnitas recipe!
Ingredients
- Pork tenderloin: look for the leanest tenderloin you can find.
- Green chili salsa: find a clean salsa with the fewest ingredients.
- Diced tomatoes with green chilies: I buy the Rotel brand. If you can’t find this, just grab a can of diced tomatoes.
- Onion
- Bay leaves
- Cayenne pepper
- Chili powder

Crock Pot Directions
- Slice one onion into thick slices and line the bottom of your slow cooker with them. Dice the other onion and set aside for topping.
- Place pork tenderloin on top of the onion and sprinkle your spices (and place your bay leaves) on top of the pork.
- Pour ½ bottle of salsa, entire can of Rotel, and diced onions on and around the pork.
- Cook on low for 5-8 hours, depending on the size of your tenderloin.
- When the cook time has finished, remove the slow cooked pork from the Crockpot and shred it.
- Place the shredded pork back into the slow cooker to stay warm and soak up the seasoning.
- Serve with the remaining bottle of green chile salsa, warm flour or corn tortillas, diced onion, and sour cream.

Instant Pot Directions
- Slice one onion into thick slices and place on the bottom of your Instant Pot insert. Dice the other onion and set aside for topping.
- Place pork tenderloin on top of the onion and sprinkle your spices (and place your bay leaves) on top of the pork.
- Pour ½ bottle of salsa, entire can of Rotel, and diced onions on and around the pork.
- Pressure cook on high pressure for 8 minutes (I did this for a 2 pound tenderloin).
- When cooking time has finished, let the pressure naturally release for 15 minutes.
- Remove the pork from the Instant Pot and shred the meat.
- Place the pulled pork back into the Instant Pot to keep warm and soak up the seasoning.
Recipe Tips
- You can use pork butt or shoulder, but be sure to recalculate your points and nutrition info as tenderloin is typically a leaner cut than those two.
- If you’re looking for crispy carnitas, sear the pork on all sides for a few minutes using a hot skillet and olive oil, avocado oil or cooking spray, then transfer to your slow cooker.
- I calculate all of my WW recipes on the Weight Watchers website using their recipe creator. It’s a great resource and if you’re not subscribed I’d highly recommend it! If you change any of the ingredients or amounts listed in this recipe it will change the points calculations.

Weight Watchers Carnitas Points Per Serving
2 pound pork tenderloin = 8 servings
2 Blue Plan Points | 2 Green Plan Points | 2 Purple Plan Points
If you add sour cream, a reduced fat variety is 2 extra points per tablespoon and corn tortillas are 2 points each.
Looking for more Weight Watchers Crock Pot Recipes?
- Weight Watchers Tuscan Chicken Pasta
- Easy Crock Pot Pork Chops with Pears
- WW Homemade Hamburger Helper
- Weight Watchers Beef Stroganoff
- Healthy White Chicken Chili
More WW Mexican food recipes
- Weight Watchers Southwest Egg Roll in a Bowl
- Spicy Mexican Meatloaf
- Carne Asada Burrito Bowl
- Weight Watchers Beef Enchiladas
Weight Watchers Crockpot Pork Carnitas
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 lbs pork tenderloin Smithfield, we purchased ours at Walmart, it was about 2 pounds
- 1 cup green chili salsa
- 1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies
- 2 onions sliced
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tsp chili powder
Optional for taste: Salt and Pepper and sour cream
Instructions
Crockpot
- Slice one onion into thick slices and line the bottom of your crock pot with them. Dice the other onion and set aside for a topping.
- Place pork tenderloin on top of the onions and sprinkle your spices (and place bay leaves) on the pork.
- Pour 1/2 bottle of salsa, entire can of Rotel, and diced onions on and around pork.
- Cook on low for 5-8 hours, depending on the size of your tenderloin.
- When the cook time has finished, remove the pork from the slow cooker and shred it.
- Place the shredded pork back into the slow cooker to stay warm and soak up the seasoning.
- Serve with the remaining bottle of green chile salsa, warm flour or corn tortillas, diced onion, and sour cream.
Instant Pot
- Slice one onion into thick slices and place on the bottom of your Instant Pot insert. Dice the other onion and set aside for topping.
- Place pork tenderloin on top of the onion and sprinkle your spices (and place your bay leaves) on top of the pork.
- Pour ½ bottle of salsa, entire can of Rotel, and diced onions on and around the pork.
- Pressure cook on high pressure for 8 minutes (I did this for a 2 pound tenderloin).
- When cooking time has finished, let the pressure naturally release for 15 minutes.
- Remove the pork from the Instant Pot and shred it.
- Place the shredded pork back into the Instant Pot to keep warm and soak up the seasoning.
On the instant pot recipe the last instruction is “then place it back in the instant pot” ……Why? Do you turn it back on? What is the purpose of putting the meat back in the pot?
So it can go back in the seasonings and not dry out :)
How much is a serving size?
About 1/4 pound! I’d divide it into 8 equal servings if you can because every piece of meat will be slightly different and will shrink differently during cooking.